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The Crystal Rule	By : QueenDraggyofSwords Category: Final Fantasy Games > Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Views: 956 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy: chrystal Chronicles, any of its characters nor am I making any profit off of them.

Chapter List
- 30
- 31
- 32
Chapter Thirty-One

Keiss left Cid's Workshop in a hurry. It's a bit of a gamble lying to Layle and then expecting him not to follow, but he was certain the Crystal Bearer would stay put. By the time he was out in the square in front of the workshop he knew he had been right. The Selkie sighed as he watched the doors close and put his hands on his head.
"They'll be alright…besides, Layle will forgive me once he finds out this 'mission' is for him."
The Selkie turned and started away from the Square and towards the upper half of Bridgetown. Being nice to Layle and letting him blow his anger with a few pranks and bad behavior was one thing, but actually getting something to prove the Crystal Bearer he was on his side was another. He had promised Layle they'd get to the bottom of the Militaries machine, and what better place to start than the source?
Professor Piper's office was located in Bridgetown, unlike Oides'. Not to mention the letter head on the contract for the Mercenaries was marked with a Bridgetown address. So while the ship was being repaired, Keiss could take the time to get some answers. Of course he was not going to bring Layle along that would be foolish. He'd probably deck someone, or toss a scientist out of a window, or worse, his powers would fuck up and they'd be caught.
No, no, it was a much better idea to handle it solo. Besides wasn't that was being a Selkie was all about? He had always taken care of himself and his mission a lone before. This would be no different.
Keiss made his way across the bridge in the center of town, the railroad tracks for the Selkie train ran along next to it, causing the entire area to shake when the train roared by. Though this area connected the residential and workshop sections of the town, it also served as a great back access to the upper levels of the town. Few people ever went 'up' in Bridgetown, most everyone lived in the lower levels. But starting with the bridge and carrying over to the workshops, taller buildings could be seen. They had few windows and few entry points, but they were there. They were the workshops of the Crystal Research and Development teams stationed here.
Down here in the bridge area there were a few service elevators leading up into the buildings, Keiss planned to hitch a ride in one. He walked up to a support pillar in the middle of the bridge and began to inspect it. Security was very light in Bridgetown, so he didn't worry about a guard coming by and noticing him searching of the concealed service elevator. With a little bit of close inspection he found a control panel for the elevator covered up with a removable plate. Keiss ran his fingers over the panel, "Not even a security pad…" He pressed the call button and shook his head. "They really must not think anyone would come up here without reason." He took a step back as he heard the sound of the elevator moving within the pillar. In a few seconds one side of the structure opened up to reveal the lift up to the work shop. Keiss glances along the walls before stepping in to ensure there were no cameras before he stepped inside and pressed the button up.
"Up top must be where the real security begins…" He sighed and looked up at the ceiling of the elevator, "You had better be happy about this, Layle."

At the same time the Selkie was slipping into the Research offices, his partner was busy picking through blue prints on Cid's floor. Despite Keiss' set up for Layle to use his powers for the Lilty, he seemed rather understanding that Layle was not going to willing be anyone's experiment. Though he did ask Layle to show him what he could do, just so he could see it in action.
"…I guess Keiss was half right…He's different from the others…" The Clavat held up a blue print and started shouting, "Hey, Cid! Was that number 456-C!"
"No! No!" The Lilty shouted down at him from the top of the ship, "465-C is the blueprint I need, and make sure it's marked with last year's date!"
Layle shook his head and looked around, he wanted to put the paper back where it belonged. However that was useless, "I guess it just goes wherever." He tossed it over the side of his shoulder and went back to look, "…Jut like Keiss' desk…stuff everywhere." It took in another ten minutes to find the right blueprint. Layle rolled it up and climbed the ladder up to the crow's nest in the Acote to hand it over to Cid.
Up top, the Lilty researcher was pulling at wires and clipping them and reattaching them. He had a tool belt at his side, but it was empty. The tools were at his feet or being held in his teeth as he worked.
"Here you are," Layle sat on the side of the nest and watched Cid work. The Lilty took the blueprints without looking up as he worked shaking his head. Layle could hear him muttering under his breath about shorted wires and blown out panels. The sound of the machines working on the sides of the ship didn't seem to bother him, nor did the occasional loud burst coming from any of his other equipment below.
Indeed, this Lilty was different from the others. Layle watched him work for a few more minutes thinking of what to say before suddenly and idea struck him. The Clavat leaned forward and started speaking, "Hey, Cid!" The Lilty nodded to him in acknowledgement but didn't stop working. "I was just wondering…How do you know Keiss anyway?"
Cid worked for a few more seconds before he removed the screwdriver currently in his mouth to speak, "I gave him his first mission."
"…Oh?" That wasn't what he was expecting. Actually he didn't know what to expect.
"So…You got Keiss into mercenary work?"
"Hmn, no…" Cid starting lacing the wires back up into the panel of the ship, "he was already a mercenary…I guess I should say I gave him his first Military job."
"How did you find him?"
Cid closed up the panel and laughed. He leaned back in his seat and looked at Layle, "He found me. I had sent out a contract letter to a young man I had working for me for some time. But he never arrived. Instead, two days after I sent out the contract, this young Selkie shows up at my door. He has the contract, with the recipient's signature on it, and a hand written note explaining that he couldn't perform the task, and instead asked that I hire this young man…"
Layle snorted and shook his head muttering to himself, "Keiss, you're been pulling that trick from some time, huh?"
Cid stood up and looked down at the sides of the ship to see how the hull repairs were going, "I admit, I was skeptical. I had never hired a Selkie mercenary before, and to be quiet honest I had heard stories you really only hire them for more…underhanded task." The Researcher turned to Layle and indicated he wanted to climb down the ladder. Layle pulled back and started down, followed by Cid. Once they were on the ground the researcher looked at the blueprint Layle had given him and made his way to the cockpit. "However, Keiss wouldn't take no for an answer. He was insistent I give him the job."
"So what made you do it?" Layle watched as Cid took a seat in the cockpit and started to unscrew the control panel accesses coverings.
"…The fact that he didn't want money." Layle raised his hand and used his powers to give the screws a yank. Half of them twisted out the others twisted back in. Cid laughed at the ailed attempt, but didn't seem upset by it. "All he wanted was a referral, recommendations to other Lilties that worked for the military that needed work done."
"And you were okay with that?"
"Well!" Cid bent down and started pulling at the wires and occasionally looking at the blueprint for reference. He was doing another patch job and putting in a new panel form a new model into the Acote, "If he failed, I didn't have to pay him! And if he did well I didn't have to pay him! I wasn't going to lose anything, so I agreed." He continued to cut wires without saying another word before standing up and trying to take the panel off. This time Layle was able to lurch it loose and the two carried it out and tossed it on the ground. "To my surprise, he did the job. Better than I had expected…But Id didn't give him the referrals."
Layle shook his head, "W-what? But then why are you and he-?"
"I gave him another job!" Cid laughed. "I have him jobs for a good half a year…Finally I ended up needing him to complete a mission that would require an airship." He turned and waved his hands at the Acote, "I had this old thing lying around…So I let him use it. Eventually I let him keep it. And even gave him those referrals he desired… That was a good three years ago."
"Three years, huh," Layle crossed his arms and looked over the ship. 'Three years of military work? Three years of not speaking to your father…'
"Keiss still did work for me from time to time," Cid started walking across the room to get the replacement parts for the cockpit. "But eventually, he became too busy…I would tune up his ship and during the repair tome he'd do work for me. Ah, he always told me how his jobs were going, how one mission led to another, one Lilty official to a noble to another. The last time he was here to get the Acote fixed, he told me had had landed an appointment with Lieutenant Spinosa."
Layle followed Cid and helped him lift the new panel for the airship, "…What do you think of the Lieutenant?"
Cid didn't say anything while they carried it across the room to the ship. Once it was in place he finally spoke up, "I know Keiss wants to work for the High Commander…However, I think that Keiss is a smart young man. A good one. I think he can do better than working for them."
Layle smiled and pat Cid on the shoulder, "You know what, Keiss was right. You are different…I like it."
The Lilty laughed, "Well to be honest, I had no intention of you not liking me young man!" he pointed at Layle, "Once your powers are working again, I do want to see what you can really do with that control over gravity."
Layle sighed and smirked, "Look, Cid, if you keep telling me what you know about Keiss, I'll use my powers for you any time. Just contact me, and I will gladly help." He held out his hand and Cid took it.
"It's a deal, Crystal Bearer."

Keiss made his way through the research facility, security was still very relaxed, but it was there. It didn't take much to slip around the guards, taking a few quick rolls through hallways, ducking into doors and storage closets. No it was probably the easiest breaking he'd had to do since he was a kid. Certainly, breaking into the store rooms back home was harder than this.
Professor Piper's office was up on the fifth floor of the research facility, which of course had the most security. While it had taken him less than thirty minutes to scale the previous four floors, he found it was taking him the same amount of time just to get to the door.
"And then there comes the question of how to get in…" Keiss sat on the floor of a darkened office around the corner form his destination. There was a man posted outside Piper's office, he was unsure if this was an indication he was in there, or if it was just standard. "If only I had had time to do proper research on this building before he broke in. But, if he waited too long, there might not be any information left here, not to mention Layle had been with him every step of the way the past two days. And there was very little time to look into it without him knowing.
Keiss stood up and looked around the room; he had no plan for the guard, so he'd have to resort to old fashioned tricks. On the upper left wall he spotted want he was looking for, a ventilation duct. He climbed up on the table long the wall and slowly opened the panel, "Hmn, it's going to be tight…but it's doable…" The red head climbed into the duct and started to shimmy and crawl his way through. It was a big cold, and he had to resist sneezing, but as he had hopped the duct did have a clear path to the office of Professor Piper.
Once inside he began to root around through the files as quietly as possible. 'I just need some answers on this project… And where it's going next.' Keiss began looking through file cabinets and paper work, taking pictures of anything and everything he thought was useful. He was surprised how much of the original paper work was still present in the office- though the copy of Piper's contract to the mercenaries form Denthe was gone. To be honest he didn't feel like was finding anything new, until he stumbled across something familiar again.
Keiss pulled out the file and stood up and flipped through it, "…It's that airship file I lost in the dessert. Only further along in production…" He walked over to the desk and started taking pictures of the file, "It looks like the M. D. F. C. was supposed to be placed on it? …Is this some sort of warship?"
"I don't know, you tell me?"
Keiss nearly jumped out of his skin when a female voice came for behind. He spun around ready to attack the person in the room and groaned when his eyes fell on Clockwork. "You, what are you doing here? How did you get in?"
She chuckled, "I came in through the door." She motioned her hand to it.
"There's a guard."
"Took his lunch." She crossed her arms, "So, you're off without your Crystal Bearer, why?"
"I don't have to answer to you, stalker." Keiss turned around and started to put the file back in order, "Besides, I should turn you in."
"Oh? What are going to say? 'Hey was poking around your office and found this wanted Crystal Bearer?'"
Keiss snorted as he put the files away, but Clockwork laughed. "Face it, you're not going to turn me in right now-"
"Not at the moment," He turned to her and glared, "But like you said Layle isn't here. I don't have anyone telling me to let you go."
"What have you got against me anyway, Selkie? I'm trying to do the right thing here, it's you who's working for the bad guys!"
"The right thing? You've tried to kill us every time we meet."
"I would never kill another Crystal Bearer." Keiss glared at her, "It's true." The Selkie turned from her and went to check the door, the guard was gone like she said. Now would be the best time to go. "Leaving so soon? But you'll miss the best part."
"I got what I wanted; now it's time to go-"
"Then I guess you don't want the progress files on the Bearer Cure…"
Keiss stopped and looked over at her. She smiled and gave a nod, "I know where they are."
"…Why share that with me?"
She sighed, "I must admit, I could use you. I can control time, but I'm not good at breaking security codes."
"Oh, so you just assume that because I am a Selkie I can break into it?"
She laughed, "No, I assume you can, because I've watched you break into a few things since I've encountered you. You're good, Selkie. Perhaps even the makings of a professional crook…"
Keiss glared at her and opened the door, "Let's just get these files, so I don't' have to deal with you anymore."

The Selkie and the Lilty made their way down one floor to a sealed room on the fourth level. Clockwork kept an eye out while Keiss studied the door and the keypad next to it. It seemed simple enough, it just required a password. He looked over the panel trying to find its model number so he'd know how many numbers he was looking at for the code. "Or better yet, the master code would be great…"
"What are you muttering about?"
"Nothing…" Keiss smiled as he looked over the panel, "I think this keypad has a standard master code used for repairs…" He started pressing numbers on the pad.
"You think? You had better not set of the alarm."
"Relax…You said I could be a master crook didn't you? You think I would make that mistake?" Keiss stood up as the light turned from red to green and the door opened. "Ta-da…"
Clockwork practically shoved past him and entered the room. Keiss sighed and followed her inside. She was already picking through files and reading them over. He shut the door and removed a file from the cabinet she was going through, "There's a 'test run' facility outside Rebena Te Ra? …Test run how?"
"How do you think?" She tossed her file over her shoulder and grabbed another one.
"Very subtle, there." Keiss eyed the papers on the floor, "No one will suspect this place was broken into."
"We'll be long gone by then."
Keiss eyed her and picked up another file, "…there's nothing in here about the," he hesitated, "About the test subjects. Where they come from? Who would volunteer for something so risky?"
"They're most likely convicts from Prison Sands or the Aerial Prison." She tossed another file. Keiss took a few snap shots of his.
"I can't believe Oides would agree to this-"
"He wouldn't!" The girl closed the cabinet abruptly. She seemed rather cross, but it was understandable. "This is Spinosa's work! The man you work for. The man you make the Gravity Bearer work for. You have to stop."
"…" Keiss opened the file and put his papers back, "Even if we did, that wouldn't stop them."
"So you're just going to continue?"
"What choice do we have at this point? If we drop out now, we'll never get to the bottom of this. …It may lead to a few bad things happening, but we may be able to find a solution before it gets worse."
"What do you think I am doing? Come work with me. Use your damn head!"
"I am using my head!" Keiss shouted back at her, "You're the one getting nowhere! Other than moving up the militaries most wanted list!"
"You're a fool, you're going to get that Crystal Bearer killed. And for what? Your own selfish ambitions?"
"I'm not going to get Layle killed!"
"You already offer him up to be experimented on-"
"Distractions." Keiss pointed at her, "Ones that he does willingly to help me do things like this."
"And what will you do if one of those 'distractions' goes wrong? If they try to break you two up? If they try to cure the Clavat?"
"They would never-"
"IF THEY TRIED," she pressed the question and stared at Keiss.
"…I would never let anyone 'cure' Layle. He's fine just as he is. Even if it meant not getting what I want. We're partners- no we're friends. That's important. He's important."
"Hmn…" Clockwork crossed her arms and continued to stare at Keiss, who glared angrily back at her. Before either of them could speak again they heard voices out in the hall.
"…yes, from down in this room. A man and a woman I'm sure of it…"
"Damn it!" Clockwork looked at the door and then at Keiss, "All your shouting gave us away."
"Oh yes, because I started shouting first!" He ran across the room and felt along the wall.
"What are you doing, we need to get ready to fight!"
"No we don't! Push something up against the door to keep them out…There should be a shutter on the wall."
"W-what?"
"Just do it!" Keiss smiled as he felt his fingers run over a crack in the wall. He stuck one of his knives into it and started to pull back as Clockwork barricaded the door. The section of wall gave way to reveal a window that had been covered.
"How did you know-?" The guards outside began trying to open the door as Keiss opened the window.
"What plans I was able to look at for this building, showed it was an old residential tower…They covered up the windows with a few panels, but they're still there. You can see them from the outside."
"Well aren't you full of surprises." The two looked down to see the window over looked the Izbor River and the Selkie Train tracks.
"Can you slow our fall?" Keiss tucked his camera into his pocket and looked at her.
"I can, but we'll be falling right to where the elevators let out. Clockwork put a leg up on the windowsill and Keiss followed.
"What? Are you saying you can't out run a few guards?" The Selkie grabbed her arm and smirked at her as the both pushed off the window and fell out into the sky. Keiss had to admit to himself his heart was racing. If this went wrong they'd either splatter on the track below or worse, fall through them and splatter on the gagged rocks of the river. Actually both sounded pretty terrible.
Clockwork held out her hands and cast a Slow spell over the two of them as they passed the second floor. Their descent lessened giving them enough time to turn up right and weaken the velocity they had generated. The spell broke a few feet from the ground and the tow landed, a bit wobbly, but still in once piece on the train tracks.
"Haha!" Keiss turned to her, "Great work! Come on!" The Selkie started to run when he felt his body halt from another Slow spell. He struggled to move and looked at Clockwork angry that she was ceasing his escape.
"It's nothing personal…" She reached into his pocket and took his camera. "But you won't stop helping Spinosa… Don't worry; I'm not going to let the guards get you." She looked down the tracks. Keiss stared at her wondering what had caught her eye, until he realized the tracks were shaking. "The train will get here before they get down."
"Y-you-s-said-!"
"I said I would never kill another Crystal Bearer. I never said anything about interfering Selkies." She smiled and pulled a little recorder out of her own pocket, "Don't worry. I'll take care of Layle. After he hears my version of your last words…Well, he'll be all fore getting rid of Spinosa and the Military project." Clockwork held her hand up as she backed up off the racks. "So long, Selkie…"
With that the Lilty girl cast a Haste spell on herself and took off. Keiss' eyes looked left and right as he tried to force himself to run. He could feel the tracks shaking more and more and heard the trains engine and horn roaring as it came up the tracks.
He needed to move. He needed to move! He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. The only thing on his mind was running. And perhaps by sheer will, or maybe it was just time for the spell to end, but Keiss suddenly lurched forward and ran. He stumbled with the first few steps, terrified he was moving; he thought the train had struck him. However he quickly gained his footing and ran forward. He couldn't get on the bridge, the guards would be coming down any minute. He had once chance; a few seconds to actually duck into the tunnel the train was coming down and slip into one of the maintence stations for the tracks.
He felt his heart pounding as he pulled forward and heard guards shouting at him to stop; his eyes focused on the dark tunnel getting brighter as the train was approaching to exit and rush past the bridge. Keiss stretched out his hand and grabbed the wall, running his fingertips along it until he felt the handle of the maintenance door. He flung it open and dove inside. Just as he pulled his feet in, the door was knocked off his hinges by the passing train. He sat up on the floor watching the train rush by the door, along with what felt like his entire life. He let his head drop back as he gasped for air. Absently he groped around into his pockets and pulled out the film form his camera and closed his eyes.
"That bitch…If Layle ever tells me to spare her again…I will kill them both!"
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The Crystal Rule